and
constituting electing for a
in
the chief inducement which many of us had life's service in India, rather than entering
the British army. Some of us have already borne the burden and heat of a long sojourn in this country, cheered by the hope that as we
we
gradually
wherewith to give
RUMOURED CHANGES IN THE INDIAN MEDICAL SERVICE. In
a
issue
previous
from
rumours
which have been
repeatedly
of
neither saw this work, we
nor can we even
referred to it
as
likelihood of the officers of the to
elect
between civil
as
July last,
and
called
Service
or
"
clear that, in the words of our commissions, we are bound "to observe and follow such orders and directions from time to time, as we shall receive from Her or seems
Majesty, superior officers, according to the rules and discipline of war." These being the terms on which we engaged to serve Her Majesty's Government, it is evident we
any
of
our
cannot be called upon now to elect for the civil service on the ; other hand, it can hardly be that we are to be barred from the privilege of employment in the civil which was open to us when
we
service, commissions, our position as military officers
relutive
laid down in Government
orders,
received
rank, pay, pension and employ being then clearly
for
instant entertain the notion that at the eleventh hour
our
are
we
our
likely
to be
curtailed, by
we
the creation of
a
civil
being destined to supplant us in appointright to expect might fall to our lot. argued that Government can, however, order all their officers in civil employ back to their regiments, unless
belong,
ments
we
its members
had every
they choose to elect for civil duties ; that if we claim to be military officers we must return to the army. No doubt Government could give an order to this effect, and we don't know that there is anything to prevent them from commanding us all to be hanged; nevertheless, it seems to us they are about as likely to exercise their power in the one case as in the other ; the question is, not what the Government can do, but what is fair and liberal to their officers. men
like our present
freely
in civil
We need not fear the result -with
Viceroy
at the head of
affairs,
and with
Lord Napier and General Norman in his council, for we are convinced they would never consent to compelling medical officers in civil
employ to return, nolens volens, to military duty, hand, bar them, if in civil employ, from falling back on the military branch of their profession, when enabled through length of service to receive promotion into its higher ranks, such as that, for instance, of a Deputy-InspectorGeneralship. The above remarks in a measure refer to the positive side of the question, but it may be well to ask what advantage it is proposed to gain by abolishing the Indian Medical Department, and substituting a Civil Medical Service in its place. We shall probably be told in the first instance, that by the or, on the other
creation of
a Civil Medical Service the saving of a considerable and unnecessary expenditure can be effected the State ; being able to procure the services of a cheaper agency for the duties required of a civil surgeon, than that which now exists. There
is
no denying this fact: the natives of India and the class from which uncovenanted medical officers are, as a rule, chosen, would
do the work for
Government; dual officers
of the Indian Medical Service.
It
cannot
an
It is
being Bombay military employ; and shortly afterwards it was reported that the Madras officers had actually been directed to signify their intentions as to which branch of the service they were prepared to abandon, for they were no longer to be allowed the option of serving in both departments. Lastly, the Pioneer?a paper generally supposed to possess an insight into the state of the official mind at Simla?boldly to elect for asserts that the Bengal Medical officers are shortly same time, news reaches the or civil military employmentat us from Home, through the Medical Times and Gazette?" that for the future there will be a military and civil branch of the Medical Service in India. Army surgeons must elect in which branch they will serve. The military will be placed under Inspectors-General of the lloyal Army; and civil surgeons will have a chief appointed by the Indian Government." As we are absolutely in the dark regarding the arguments used by those who are supposed to favour a scheme such as that above indicated, we cannot of course defend ourselves from their attack ; nevertheless, we may mention a few of the reasons which led us, on a recent occasion, to affirm our disbelief in existing rumours regarding the impending dissolution on
Under these circumstances,
medical
up to the present time the fact of its publication has not been contradicted. Early in the year we were informed that there was a
provided for.
The first
vouch for its existence ;
far back
that our widows and families would
be
in circulation of
regarding the dismemberment of the service. intelligence we received on the subject was early last cold season, when it was whispered that Dr. J. M. Cuningham had written a memo, for private circulation, discussing the principles upon which the Indian Service ought to be re-constructed; we nevertheless,
children
death,
medical dapartment at the expense of the service to which
Service, arising
late
our
higher grades of the service, certainty on having the means a first-class education, or in
the event of our
privileges
general feeling
alluded to the
we
uneasiness which exists in. the Indian Medical
to the
rose
be able to count with
might
a
but
less sum than the covenanted servants of
although
belonging
we are
fully
convinced that indivi-
to the former service may be
equally maintain, the chances are much in favour of the covenanted officer's being the better man of the two : in the first place, he is chosen from among a number of young medical men by competitive examination ; lie next enjoys the advantages afforded by the Netley school of medicine, in which establishment he not only acquires a stock of valuable knowledge which he could not obtain elsewhere, but in addition, the discipline and association of the school are very similar in his case, to what Haileybury was to the civilians of old, or what the newly-established college will be to the engineers. If the ranks of the Civil Medical Service are to lose the advantages afforded by Netley, and to be officered efficient
to
any in the
latter, nevertheless,
we
Deceiibee 1, by
who cannot
men
NOTES OF LONDON HOSPITAL PRACTICE.
1871.]
will not enter
on a
training they are
of the
kind, called on to expected perform will be so efficiently done. On the other hand, if the officers of the new department are to pass examinations such as those undergone by men now entering the covenanted service, it
can
hardly
or
that the work
be
why not allow them to serve on first arrival jn this counThere are many reasons why they should a regiment. do so, and if they subsequently go into civil employ, they can immediately in times of emergency be sent back to their regiments, and, like the medical officers of the Prussian service, it will be found they make none the less efficient army surgeons, because they have been steadily working at their profession then
with
try
among civilians. It ia an easy thing to create vast savings and rear new departments on paper. A Civil Medical Service would perhaps be an assistance to sanitary science, as it is at present being elaborated in India, and conduce to the multiplication of reports to such suffice to hold them
marks, not
"
cnre
all,
an
extent that the world will
the bulk
containing,
exact and abundant information
on
as
hardly
the Lancet
matters that
we
re-
do
know, and very little on those we do." If this is are to look for, better, we think, retain the old service
to
what
we
with
even
its
prejudices
and
short-comings.
Should there, however, bo any truth in the rumours we have above referred to, let us earnestly entreat the Government
moving in the matter, to consult those who have risen in profession, neither through the study of the social or any of the extraneous sciences, but by a consistent and successful practice of the healing art?men who can have no personal feelings in the matter, but who by their talent, skill and energy are trusted and respected by all who know them, both within and without the profession. There are officers of this description in all the three presidencies of India, and we can only hope their advice will be sought, before a step such as as that of dismembering the Indian Medical Department is even thought of. before
their
2G1
constituting electing for a
in
the chief inducement which many of us had life's service in India, rather than entering
the British army. Some of us have already borne the burden and heat of a long sojourn in this country, cheered by the hope that as we
we
gradually
wherewith to give
RUMOURED CHANGES IN THE INDIAN MEDICAL SERVICE. In
a
issue
previous
from
rumours
which have been
repeatedly
of
neither saw this work, we
nor can we even
referred to it
as
likelihood of the officers of the to
elect
between civil
as
July last,
and
called
Service
or
"
clear that, in the words of our commissions, we are bound "to observe and follow such orders and directions from time to time, as we shall receive from Her or seems
Majesty, superior officers, according to the rules and discipline of war." These being the terms on which we engaged to serve Her Majesty's Government, it is evident we
any
of
our
cannot be called upon now to elect for the civil service on the ; other hand, it can hardly be that we are to be barred from the privilege of employment in the civil which was open to us when
we
service, commissions, our position as military officers
relutive
laid down in Government
orders,
received
rank, pay, pension and employ being then clearly
for
instant entertain the notion that at the eleventh hour
our
are
we
our
likely
to be
curtailed, by
we
the creation of
a
civil
being destined to supplant us in appointright to expect might fall to our lot. argued that Government can, however, order all their officers in civil employ back to their regiments, unless
belong,
ments
we
its members
had every
they choose to elect for civil duties ; that if we claim to be military officers we must return to the army. No doubt Government could give an order to this effect, and we don't know that there is anything to prevent them from commanding us all to be hanged; nevertheless, it seems to us they are about as likely to exercise their power in the one case as in the other ; the question is, not what the Government can do, but what is fair and liberal to their officers. men
like our present
freely
in civil
We need not fear the result -with
Viceroy
at the head of
affairs,
and with
Lord Napier and General Norman in his council, for we are convinced they would never consent to compelling medical officers in civil
employ to return, nolens volens, to military duty, hand, bar them, if in civil employ, from falling back on the military branch of their profession, when enabled through length of service to receive promotion into its higher ranks, such as that, for instance, of a Deputy-InspectorGeneralship. The above remarks in a measure refer to the positive side of the question, but it may be well to ask what advantage it is proposed to gain by abolishing the Indian Medical Department, and substituting a Civil Medical Service in its place. We shall probably be told in the first instance, that by the or, on the other
creation of
a Civil Medical Service the saving of a considerable and unnecessary expenditure can be effected the State ; being able to procure the services of a cheaper agency for the duties required of a civil surgeon, than that which now exists. There
is
no denying this fact: the natives of India and the class from which uncovenanted medical officers are, as a rule, chosen, would
do the work for
Government; dual officers
of the Indian Medical Service.
It
cannot
an
It is
being Bombay military employ; and shortly afterwards it was reported that the Madras officers had actually been directed to signify their intentions as to which branch of the service they were prepared to abandon, for they were no longer to be allowed the option of serving in both departments. Lastly, the Pioneer?a paper generally supposed to possess an insight into the state of the official mind at Simla?boldly to elect for asserts that the Bengal Medical officers are shortly same time, news reaches the or civil military employmentat us from Home, through the Medical Times and Gazette?" that for the future there will be a military and civil branch of the Medical Service in India. Army surgeons must elect in which branch they will serve. The military will be placed under Inspectors-General of the lloyal Army; and civil surgeons will have a chief appointed by the Indian Government." As we are absolutely in the dark regarding the arguments used by those who are supposed to favour a scheme such as that above indicated, we cannot of course defend ourselves from their attack ; nevertheless, we may mention a few of the reasons which led us, on a recent occasion, to affirm our disbelief in existing rumours regarding the impending dissolution on
Under these circumstances,
medical
up to the present time the fact of its publication has not been contradicted. Early in the year we were informed that there was a
provided for.
The first
vouch for its existence ;
far back
that our widows and families would
be
in circulation of
regarding the dismemberment of the service. intelligence we received on the subject was early last cold season, when it was whispered that Dr. J. M. Cuningham had written a memo, for private circulation, discussing the principles upon which the Indian Service ought to be re-constructed; we nevertheless,
children
death,
medical dapartment at the expense of the service to which
Service, arising
late
our
higher grades of the service, certainty on having the means a first-class education, or in
the event of our
privileges
general feeling
alluded to the
we
uneasiness which exists in. the Indian Medical
to the
rose
be able to count with
might
a
but
less sum than the covenanted servants of
although
belonging
we are
fully
convinced that indivi-
to the former service may be
equally maintain, the chances are much in favour of the covenanted officer's being the better man of the two : in the first place, he is chosen from among a number of young medical men by competitive examination ; lie next enjoys the advantages afforded by the Netley school of medicine, in which establishment he not only acquires a stock of valuable knowledge which he could not obtain elsewhere, but in addition, the discipline and association of the school are very similar in his case, to what Haileybury was to the civilians of old, or what the newly-established college will be to the engineers. If the ranks of the Civil Medical Service are to lose the advantages afforded by Netley, and to be officered efficient
to
any in the
latter, nevertheless,
we
Deceiibee 1, by
who cannot
men
NOTES OF LONDON HOSPITAL PRACTICE.
1871.]
will not enter
on a
training they are
of the
kind, called on to expected perform will be so efficiently done. On the other hand, if the officers of the new department are to pass examinations such as those undergone by men now entering the covenanted service, it
can
hardly
or
that the work
be
why not allow them to serve on first arrival jn this counThere are many reasons why they should a regiment. do so, and if they subsequently go into civil employ, they can immediately in times of emergency be sent back to their regiments, and, like the medical officers of the Prussian service, it will be found they make none the less efficient army surgeons, because they have been steadily working at their profession then
with
try
among civilians. It ia an easy thing to create vast savings and rear new departments on paper. A Civil Medical Service would perhaps be an assistance to sanitary science, as it is at present being elaborated in India, and conduce to the multiplication of reports to such suffice to hold them
marks, not
"
cnre
all,
an
extent that the world will
the bulk
containing,
exact and abundant information
on
as
hardly
the Lancet
matters that
we
re-
do
know, and very little on those we do." If this is are to look for, better, we think, retain the old service
to
what
we
with
even
its
prejudices
and
short-comings.
Should there, however, bo any truth in the rumours we have above referred to, let us earnestly entreat the Government
moving in the matter, to consult those who have risen in profession, neither through the study of the social or any of the extraneous sciences, but by a consistent and successful practice of the healing art?men who can have no personal feelings in the matter, but who by their talent, skill and energy are trusted and respected by all who know them, both within and without the profession. There are officers of this description in all the three presidencies of India, and we can only hope their advice will be sought, before a step such as as that of dismembering the Indian Medical Department is even thought of. before
their
2G1
